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influence on pesticide levels, dietary sources were the likely contributors to the metabo-
lite levels observed.
15.3.3 Pesticide Residues in Seminal Fluid
There is increasing evidence suggesting that human fertility rates (FRs) are declining not
only in Western countries but also in developing countries (Skakkebaek et al. 2006). Recent
studies have associated various environmental pollutants including chlorinated pesticides
and heavy metals with declining semen quality (Talamanca et al. 2001; Kumar et al. 2000a;
Pant et al. 2003). Hauser et al. (2002) suggested that the presence of PCBs p,p′-DDE and
phthalate esters in human seminal plasma might be responsible for the deterioration of
semen quality without an obvious etiology.
In a recent study, Pant et al. (2007) explored the possibility of a correlation between the
chlorinated pesticide level and the sperm count and motility in both fertile and infertile
men. A total of 50 infertile men (30.68 ± 0.49 years old) plus another 50 fertile men (29.43
± 3.80 years old) were included in the study. Based on the authors' findings, Table 15.4
summarizes the difference between the pesticide and semen contents in both the investi-
gated groups. It appears that the infertile group had approximately five times more of the
total HCH than the fertile group was, and approximately two times more of total DDT.
The authors added that although conflicting results exist in the literature regarding the
effect of chlorinated pesticides on semen quality, their positive effect should be considered
as many of them have antiandrogenic or antiestrogenic properties and could therefore
hypothetically inhibit normal negative feedback of hormones, leading to an increase in
hormone production in the testes.
Comparisons of the FRs failed to detect significant differences among populations
from three selected areas in Northeast Italy, while regression analysis showed a signifi-
cant decrease in FR relative to the total amount of pesticides used in the studied areas
(Clementi et al. 2008).
TABLE 15.4
Pattern of Pesticide Residues in Human Seminal Plasma of Fertile and Infertile Men from
Lucknow, India
Mean Concentration (μg/L) in
Semen from Fertile Men
Relative Concentration (× times)
in Semen from Infertile Men
Pesticide
α-HCH
4.69
3.7
β-HCH
9.24
5.3
γ-HCH
2.44
8.4
δ-HCH
2.54
1.9
Total HCH
18.94
4.9
Aldrin
0.36
0.70
P,p′DDT
3.07
0.7
O,p′-DDT
0.12
24.3
P,p′-DDE
7.24
2.8
p,p′-DDD
13.14
1.6
Total DDT
23.32
1.9
Source:
Adapted from Pant, N., Kumara, R., Mathur, N., Srivastava, S. P., Saxena, D. K., and Gujrati, V. R.
2007. Chlorinated pesticide concentration in semen of fertile and infertile men and correlation
with sperm quality.
Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol.
23: 135-139.
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